Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow says his appendix ruptured, prompting surgery

CINCINNATI — What initially felt like discomfort for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow turned into a more serious and pressing matter, he said Wednesday.

In his first news conference since his appendectomy on July 26, Burrow said his appendix ruptured, which prompted surgery. The third-year player will continue his progress on Wednesday when he participates in team drills at practice for the first time since the procedure.

It's part of the plan to get Burrow ready for the start of the regular season on Sept. 11.

Burrow said he is looking to add weight and return his body back to the pre-surgery form ahead of the team's Week 1 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He said he is not expecting to play in the preseason. «I think it will be OK,» Burrow said. «We have a good plan as far as nutrition and weight room and all that stuff. I feel good right now and just going to keep feeling better.»

Information available at the time indicated that it was more of a routine procedure. However, that proved not to be the case once Burrow was examined.

«It wasn't normal appendicitis that you hear about,» Burrow said. «I didn't really feel much. Just getting checked out and had some discomfort so we thought we'd get it checked out. Turns out I had it. So we had to get it fixed.»

While Burrow was on the mend, he watched practices from a medical cart. Even though he couldn't participate, Burrow said he wanted to be with his teammates so he could mentally get back into the swing of things with the defending AFC champions.

«You're in a hospital for however many days and you start to feel like a sick person,» Burrow said. «So you want to get back out with the guys and feel healthy again.»

He declined to reveal how much weight he lost